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Differences in clinical and radiological features of thoracic disc herniation presenting with acute progressive myelopathy

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Abstract

Purpose

Symptomatic thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is relatively rare, but patients with progressive myelopathy require surgical treatment without delay in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review clinical and radiological features in patients with TDH presenting with myelopathy.

Methods

A total of 28 consecutive patients with thoracic myelopathy (Frankel grade C or worse) due to TDH who underwent surgery were divided into 3 groups based on the time for development of myelopathy (acute (< 72 h), subacute (within a few weeks), and chronic [gradually over > 1 month)] and their data were analyzed.

Results

The patients in the acute group were significantly younger and had a higher body mass index (BMI) compared to those in the subacute and chronic groups. Most cases of acute myelopathy were affected in the upper thoracic level, whereas all patients with subacute and chronic myelopathy had lesions in the lower thoracic level below T8–9. Interestingly, the affected thoracic level in patients with acute myelopathy matched the upper line of the sternum. The rate of acquired walking ability without assistance was only 50.0% in the acute group.

Conclusions

This study suggests that TDH presenting with acute myelopathy may have different clinical and radiological features compared to those of TDH with subacute and chronic myelopathy. Upper TDH should be suspected in cases of acute myelopathy that develops with sudden-onset back pain after certain triggers in younger and higher BMI people. These affected thoracic level matched with the upper line of the sternum in each case.

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Funding

No funding was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Fukui Faculty of Medical Sciences, 23-3 Matsuokashimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan

    Hideaki Nakajima, Shuji Watanabe, Kazuya Honjoh, Arisa Kubota & Akihiko Matsumine

Authors
  1. Hideaki Nakajima
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  2. Shuji Watanabe
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  3. Kazuya Honjoh
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  4. Arisa Kubota
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  5. Akihiko Matsumine
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Correspondence to Hideaki Nakajima.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.

Ethical approval

The study protocol was approved by the Human Ethics Review Committee of our University Medical Faculty and strictly followed the Clinical Research Guidelines of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of the Japanese Government.

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Nakajima, H., Watanabe, S., Honjoh, K. et al. Differences in clinical and radiological features of thoracic disc herniation presenting with acute progressive myelopathy. Eur Spine J 30, 829–836 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06485-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06485-6

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